May 22, 1995 - BUDGET NEGOTIATORS AGREE TO FULL FUNDING OF
ENROLLMENTS
House and Senate operating budget negotiators announced Saturday
they had agreed to fully fund enrollment increases at the state`s
public colleges and universities. That`s particularly good news
for the branch campuses of WSU at Vancouver, Tri-Cities and Spokane,
campuses which have often been operating without adequate support
services for students. The agreement, which still must be ratified
by House and Senate caucuses before it can be included in the
final operating budget bill, apparently means that $20.2 million
will be put into higher education for new enrollments, one of
the higher figures being considered by House and Senate negotiators.
The number of students added to each higher education campus will
likely be the highest of either the House or the Senate numbers.
Exact numbers on how this full funding decision will affect Washington
State University are not yet available. WSU had urged full funding
of enrollments to provide maximum resources for dealing with the
increase in graduating high school classes in the coming years.
The House had favored "marginal funding" of enrollments,
less than the full amount identified as the cost of instruction.
The Senate favored full funding, a position which apparently has
been adopted by negotiators.
TUITION RATE INCREASE APPEARS TO BE IN THE 4-5 PERCENT RANGE
- "NO OFF-SETS"
As of Monday morning, (the 29th day of a 30-day special session),
the proposed tuition rate increase remains one of the larger
unresolved issues in all of the state budget negotiations.
There were unconfirmed reports over the weekend that legislators
had agreed to a 4 percent annual tuition increase. But House negotiators
pushed for a 5 percent tuition increase on Saturday afternoon.
The rate likely will be set completely by the Legislature, with
little or no authority for institutions to set general tuition
rates. The position by Washington State University and the
Washington Student Lobby that tuition increases should be realistic
and that all new tuition funds should remain at the students`
institution has apparently been heeded by lawmakers. WSU has
not taken a position whether tuition increases should be 4 percent
or 5 percent, both are within the acceptable range that WSU had
urged.
STUDENT FINANCIAL AID ISSUES UNRESOLVED
Budget negotiators have failed to reach agreement on student financial
aid. It appears that at least $7.6 million more will go into the
state need grant program, a position advocated by House negotiators.
The House would also like to see $3 million for additional state
work study. The Senate does not fund work study but provides $11.6
million for the state need grant program. Indications are that
the Senate position may address the needs of more WSU students.
WSU FACULTY, STAFF TO RECEIVE ONE-TIME 4 PERCENT COST-OF-LIVING
INCREASE
House and Senate negotiators agreed this weekend that most state
employees will receive a one-time 4 percent salary increase effective
July 1, 1995.
While it may not be enough to keep WSU faculty completely competitive
with similar faculty positions across the country, it is good
news that negotiators have agreed to the first salary increase
for faculty and staff in nearly three years. Negotiators have
indicated there will likely be no explicit cut to employee benefits,
though health insurance provisions will apparently be deliberately
under-funded, eventually leading to some sort of employee co-payment,
as the House budget had advocated.
WSU AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SUPPORTED FOR FUNDING
Gov. Mike Lowry signed Engrossed 2nd Substitute House Bill 1009
on May 16, paving the way for legislative agreement for $1 million
for pesticide "minor crops" research in the operating
budget. The governor had been considering a veto of the bill which
would have jeopardized funding. House-Senate negotiators have
also been favoring $500,000 in funding for expanded wine grape
research at WSU.
